TALLAHASSEE – Today, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) announced the installation of its 2022 Board of Directors Executive Committee. As Florida’s premier non-profit hospitality trade association, FRLA has provided excellent service to the industry and its members for more than 75 years. The mission of FRLA is to protect, educate, and promote Florida’s hospitality industry – a $112 billion industry with 1.5 million employees pre-COVID-19.
FRLA’s 2022 Board of Directors Executive Committee is comprised of the following:
- Chair: Olivia Hoblit, Regional Manager for Innisfree Hotels, Amelia Island
- Vice-Chair: John Horne, Owner of Anna Maria Oyster Bars, Bradenton
- Secretary/Treasurer and Lodging Director: Roger Amidon, General Manager for Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa
- Lodging Director: Barbara Bowden, Area Managing Director for Loews Hotels at Universal Orlando
- Restaurant Director: Nick Sarra, Chief Operating Officer, Saltwater Restaurants, Inc.
- Restaurant Director: Carlos Gazitua, President & CEO of Sergio’s Family Restaurants, Miami
- Immediate Past Chairman: Jim Shirley, Chef Jim Shirley Enterprises, Santa Rosa Beach
“The success of Florida’s hospitality industry is essential – not just to our members but to all Floridians – as tourism and hospitality are top producers for the state’s economy,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA). “As Florida hotels, restaurants, and suppliers continue to pivot and recover from ongoing challenges related to COVID-19, it is critical that we have strong leaders and forward thinkers to direct and advise our efforts. I could not be more proud of the FRLA Board of Directors executive leadership, which is comprised of lifelong hospitality veterans and entrepreneurs whose passion and sacrifice for the industry are without comparison. I am confident we have the right team in place to achieve success for this Legislative Session and beyond.”
“As Chair of the FRLA Board, I am optimistic for the state of the hospitality industry and am excited to work with my peers to achieve solutions to our current challenges,” said Olivia Hoblit, Board Chair for the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA). “Local, state, and federal advocacy is key to keeping our businesses thriving and ensuring our continued recovery, and we are grateful for all of the support we have received from Florida’s leaders. As we address historic staffing shortages, engaging and mentoring young adults will be a focus of mine as Chair to encourage our growth and alleviate these existing labor gaps. There has never been a greater time to join hospitality, and I am eager to work with our educational institutions to share the many opportunities that are available and secure the future of our industry.”
For full biographies for the FRLA Board of Directors, please click here.
About FRLA: The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is Florida’s premier non-profit hospitality industry trade association. Founded in 1946 as the Florida Restaurant Association, FRLA merged with the Florida Hotel and Motel Association in 2006. FRLA’s more than 10,000 members include independent hoteliers and restaurateurs, household name franchises, theme parks and suppliers. The association’s mission is to protect, educate and promote Florida’s nearly $112 billion hospitality industry which represents 1.5 million employees. Dedicated to safeguarding the needs of the membership, FRLA provides legislative advocacy to ensure the voices of its members are heard and their interests are protected. The association offers regulatory compliance and food safety training through Safe Staff® and FRLA’s subsidiary, RCS Training. The FRLA Educational Foundation provides industry-developed, career-building high school programs throughout the state.
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